Cloud With Silver Lining
by J. Romant
Summary: In 17th century England, pompous Prince James rejects all suitors. Then fate strikes him with amnesia and leaves him on the doorstep of farm girl Lily Evans, while the evil Sheriff of Cansville Severus Snape appears with a shocking proposal for Lily......
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Anything you recognize is not mine. Anything you don't recognize belongs to me.

**Author's Note : **Welcome aboard, folks! You're aboard my ship, and we're going to have a heck of a time sailing through this story. Hope y'all enjoy it! Oh, and by the way, mates, don't forget to review!

**Synopsis :** In 17th century England, pompous Prince James rejects all suitors. Then fate strikes him with amnesia and leaves him on the doorstep of farm girl Lily Evans, while half the country looks for him.

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**Cloud with Silver Lining**

**A Story by J. Romant**

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**Chapter 1. Tempest**

"Your majesty, may I present to you the Duchess of Edinburgh and her daughter, Miss Regina Wistmond."

King Henry smiled at the ladies in front of them while his son, Prince James, made an unpleasant face. This was the fifteenth woman he had seen today, and he did not understand why his father was forcing him to be here. Of course, James loved his father dearly. But James simply did not care for women. At least _these_ kinds of women. They did nothing but eat, sleep, or worry about their looks. They probably couldn't tell the difference between a polo stick and a croquette ball.

"My daughter is a beauty, is she not, Prince James?" The Duchess queried, slightly pushing her daughter in front of her. "She is most highly educated. Music, etiquette, drawing; Regina revels in them, your highness."

Regina blushed, curtsying slightly in front of James. James rolled his eyes, fighting back a yawn. "I am _quite_ sure there is not a thing she _can not_ do, Mrs. Wistmond."

The Duchess missed the sarcasm. King Henry, however, did not. He sighed inwardly, fearing that it was going to be a long day.

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"My son, do you not think it is time you chose a wife?" King Henry asked as the two of them strolled down the Palace gardens. King Henry waved to the gardeners as they stopped and bowed rigidly.

"I know, father. However, I fear that marriage will be such a… constraint for me." James replied, pulling out a croquette ball from his pocket. He threw it into the air, and caught it, ruffling his hair a little bit.

"You can have any young woman in the country, James. I do not wish to impose any social barrier on the woman you wish to marry, as long as you are happy."

"I know, father. But to be frank with you, I do not think there is anyone half as good for me in England."

King Henry chuckled softly. "I was like that before I met your mother, James. Sooner or later you will fall headfirst in love one of these days. And you will never know what hit you. But I hope it will be sooner, rather than later. I am an old man, and I wish to see you married before I die."

"Oh, you are still young, father. You will probably outlive me, if anything." James grinned, "However, about the prospect of marriage, that will have to wait, father. I am handsome, I am rich. The future Mrs. Potter must be qualified to earn such a worthy husband."

This time King Henry rolled his eyes at his son's antics. "Do not say things like that in public, James. What would the people think! And then what kind of woman do you think is worthy of your hand in marriage?" He inquired, sincerely curious.

After some thought, Prince James replied, "She must be rich, extremely rich. And she must be beautiful, fair with blonde hair, and eyes as dark as chocolate. She will be tall, and as graceful as a swan floating in the water."

James would never know how wrong he would be.

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"Sir Sirius Black is awaiting your presence on the terrace, Prince James." James's most trusted servant, Frank Longbottom, announced.

"Thank you, Frank. Get a horse ready for a ride to Englesfield Castle. And make sure no one knows about it. I want to keep this a secret."

Frank nodded, knowing very well what the situation was. Once every month James would go to Englesfield Castle to see a childhood friend of his, Remus Lupin. Sir Lupin, it was said, was an avid poker player. Once every month, he would have this insatiable urge to play poker, and would challenge and beat everyone within ten miles radius of his castle. His craze would not stop until he lost. Prince James was the only one who could win a hand, so he would visit to cure his friend of his little problem.

"Sirius, my man!" James greeted the man with a roguish smile on his face. "You could not have picked a better time to visit!"

"Missed you too, mate. So, when will I have the pleasure of meeting the next Mrs. Potter?"

James made a face. "Even I have not had the chance to meet her, Sirius. But do come in." James gestured inside the door.

"Ah, I would love to, but I have a few pressing errands to run. I just came to ask you about the plans for the new palace in Cansville. Apparently, a small village exists there, and the residents are utmost loathe to leave. My men have asked them politely under your orders, and the answer is a flat no."

James answered without hesitation. "How dare they refuse their future King!" He exclaimed. "I have been more than just with my generous offering of two thousand Galleons per family. Country people," James spoke with disgust, "are so greedy. Offer them three thousand Galleons, and if they still say no, just force them out."

James signed a parchment before him and handed it to Sirius. "Make sure they realize that disobedience is an act of treason."

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Somewhere on the mountains of Ingleswild, there is a castle. It is a castle that some call haunted. It is a magnificently grand castle, it would have been beautiful if it were not for the fact that the castle was situated where the sun would never shine. To add to the suspense and wonder of the village men of the town below, it was reported that the only sort of movement from the castle occurred when there was a storm.

Others, people more acquainted with the history of the castle, called it the Malfoy Manor.

"We have waited too long. It is time for us to act, Wormtail." Duke Lucius Malfoy, third in line for the crown, spoke in hushed tones at the trembling figure before him.

"Give me your orders, my lord, and your faithful servant shall accomplish them." Wormtail spoke, his eyes never leaving the floor.

Duke Malfoy paced the cold stone floors, stopping once in a while to look out at the bleak, rocky plain visible through the stained windows.

"We have waited too long. Ever since that insolent scoundrel James Potter was born seventeen years ago, I have been cast aside like a bag of bones! If it were not for him, I would be sitting on the throne today!" Anger vibrated in the air. Duke Malfoy's thin fingers were bony white as he clenched them tightly, coldly furious.

Lucius continued, his anger suddenly under control. "I have talked with Sir Lestrange and Lady Bellatrix yesterday. Everything is set in place. I shall give you, Wormtail, a month to prepare. For after a month, it will be time to do the deed."

"What deed, master?" Wormtail whimpered.

Lucius's thin lips curled into a smile. "Why, to hail King Malfoy, of course."

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The sky was growing dark as James darted through the fields on horseback. He had made a late start, owing to the fact that his father had kept him through another three Duchesses and two Countesses. Already it was growing too dark for James to see the road clearly.

"This is not good." James muttered. "How foolish that I should not have brought a lantern."

The sound of thunder rumbled ominously above, threatening rain. James looked worriedly up at the sky. A few fat drops fell on James's cheek, which he wiped away, disgusted. "Ugh, how I hate dirty rain."

But the rain fell heavier, so much that James was soaking wet by the time he reached a sign that stated he was halfway there. James thought of turning back, but he would not leave his friend, Remus, in distress. Remus needed him there.

"Faster!" James shouted angrily at his horse, grabbing the reins fiercely. The horse burst forward, although it could not see the road very clearly.

But even this breakneck speed was not suit to James's fancy. "Faster! Faster, you turtle of a horse!" James urged the horse on.

Then it all happened in a frenzy. The horse slipped and stumbled on a large rock. It gave a sudden instinctive lurch to prevent itself from falling sideways, but succeeded only in making the situation worse. James was thrown into the air. He did not even have time to shout out, he hit the first rock before anything could be registered into his brain. Unfortunately for James, his body struck a few more jagged rocks as he tumbled and rolled to the bottom of a valley. Let us take comfort that he was unconscious before he could feel the pain seep in.

And so in the middle of the valley was the future King of England, half of his body covered with mud. He slept there, oblivious of the thundering torrent around him.

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James woke up with a large headache. Birds chirped outside, and look- there was even a beautiful rainbow hanging in the sky. All in all, there was not a trace of the tempest that had hit Cansville last night.

"Oh, you're finally awake." A pleasant young voice greeted James, and he whirled around. He instantly regretted the motion, because his head was filled with pain again.

"You've been sleeping for about thirteen hours now. We were afraid you were dead, when Hagrid brought you here."

"Hagrid?" James asked, wondering what in Sam Hill was a Hagrid.

"Reubus Hagrid. He's the owner of the best two pubs in town. The Leaky Waterhole and The Three Donkeys." The girl in front of him spoke. Evidently this guy called Hagrid was well liked by these people here. "He brought you inside last night. Said he found you in the valley. What were you doing there anyway?" She asked quizzically.

The girl could not be older than 14, James decided. With red hair and green eyes, she certainly looked strange.

"Don't know." James mumbled. "I've got this huge headache; I can't think properly."

"Oh, by the way," The girl held out a hand. "I'm Tulip. Tulip Evans. What's yours?"

"Errr…." For the first time in his life, James could not answer. With a shock he realized he could not remember anything. Not even his name. He wasn't even sure he had a name to begin with.

Just then, three more faces popped out of the doorway. Three faces, to be precise, that eyed him like a talking vegetable or a tap dancing donkey.

"He's awake, he's awake!" One of them cried, running up to him and peering at him with dark brown eyes. "Oh gosh! Isn't he handsome, Lily? What's his name?" The girl asked a tall girl that was standing behind her.

"I don't know, Rose. Why don't you ask him?" The girl called Lily said dryly. Lily, unlike the other girls, stood a good ten feet away from James. While she looked like a much older replica of Tulip, her eyes looked at James suspiciously, warily.

"What _is_ your name?" A girl that looked the oldest asked, her dark brown hair covering a rather horse-like face.

"To tell the truth, I don't know! I'm afraid I've lost my memory the other night." James smiled apologetically, wincing as another bout of pain wracked the insides of his skull.

"How very exciting!" Tulip squealed with delight. "_I've_ always wanted to lose my memory, but I don't know _how_. Wouldn't it be _so_ romantic, Petunia?"

"I wouldn't think so." Petunia replied, always down to earth. "Well, Mister what's your name, what would you like us to call you?"

James thought for a moment. Rose however, answered the question for him. "Well, I think his name is James. See, there's a 'James' embroidered in the clothes he was wearing last night."

And sure enough, there was. The four girls had changed them into some other sort of garment- probably their father's. His old clothes were a wet pile on a wooden table nearby. At least, what was left of his clothes. But there was a visible red patch that bore the letters 'J A M E S'.

"James." James savored the name, letting the words flow off his tongue. "I like that name."

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"If you've really got amnesia, we wouldn't mind your staying with us for a while. I mean, though we are just poor farmers, we aren't heartless enough to turn out a person in distress." Petunia explained as she led him towards the kitchen. The house was very small, slightly cramped but cozy.

"But the decision isn't ours to make." Lily added quickly, while Petunia shot her a glance. "Father will be coming in the evening, and he'll be the one to decide what to do with you."

"Rose, Tulip. Go and take Mr. James out for a tour of the farm, won't you girls?" Petunia ordered. Rose and Tulip were perfectly happy to oblige. In fact, they were ecstatic of the prospect of having someone over at their house.

"I'm sorry if we're disturbing you, Mr. James." Tulip said, wide eyed. "The thing is, we don't have much company over at the house, ever since Mother died."

"Don't worry, Rose." James said, bending down to pat her on the head. "So, are there only the four of you girls here?"

"Yes, along with Father. He's a writer, you know. He usually spends his time inside, but today he's gone to town for… for… for a discussion" Tulip brought out the long word with a valiant effort.

"_I'm_ older than Tulip." Rose boasted. "I'm 15 years now, almost a lady. And _she's_ still fourteen. Lily's 17. Petunia's the oldest, she's already 18 years old."

"Yes, and she's going to get married." Tulip whispered, as if she were speaking some horror that must not be spoken of. "She's getting married to Vernon Dursley."

Rose giggled. "And he looks exactly like a walrus."

As Tulip and Rose were showing him the horse stable, James could not help but overhear the heated conversation coming from the house. Evidently Lily and Petunia were in a fight over something. They were fighting about _him_, James realized with a sick feeling in his stomach.

"Can't you be at least courteous to him, Lily? I mean, he's a guest, for god's sake!"

"Don't act naïve, Petunia. Who knows if he's some kind of thief or maniac? Isn't it too convenient that he's 'gone and lost his memory'?"

"Don't you be so cold and paranoid, Lily. Just because _you_ can't trust anyone doesn't mean that _we_ have to follow your example! Really, you're growing more insane by the minute!"

"Don't come running to me for help when he tries to murder you in your sleep, Petunia. You just can't trust these ruffians. Who knows where he's come from?" Lily grumbled, and walked out the back door.

"Oh!" Lily flushed deep scarlet, realizing that James had heard everything. Then she quickly ran past him, not daring to look him in the eye.

"Don't you fret about Lily, James." Tulip said, tugging on James's sleeve. "She's a worry wart. She's just mistrusts anyone new."

"She's been like that ever since her fiancé left her." Rose said.

"Rose!" Petunia scolded, overhearing what they were talking about. "You shouldn't be talking about people behind their backs."

"But I wasn't talking behind her back, Petunia." Rose said defensively. "How can I talk behind her back when I can't even see if she has her back to me?" Rose was clearly puzzled.

And James was left to wonder about Lily's story. '_Well_', he decided. '_I can always hear it another time. It's not as if I have anything to do here._"

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"Where on earth could he be?" Sirius Black asked, his brows furrowed in worry. "I can't believe it. How could a prince, not any prince but the Crown Prince of England, disappear like that?"

"I don't know sir. But if he left for Sir Remus's, and never arrived there, isn't it clear he's somewhere in between?" Servant Longbottom mused, pausing in front of a large map of the British Isles. "He can't have strayed far from the path. It's only been a day."

"But you are forgetting, my lad, that there was an enormous storm last night." King Henry spoke up from upon his throne. "It was rash, it was foolish of him to try and ride in that sort of weather."

"Prince James thought he could reach the castle before it struck the coast, your highness." Longbottom answered, bowing slightly.

"Nevertheless, he shall be grounded once we find him. For a month- no, he'll be grounded for a year." King Henry paused for a moment, then buried his face in his hands. "What am I saying? All I wish is for him to be safe and sound again."

"Don't worry your highness." Sirius spoke with great assurance. "We have sent out a search party of two hundred men. It'll be only hours before we find him……."

The alternative rested heavily in the air, but no one dared to say it. As the dark cloud of doom loomed above them, it was Remus who finally spoke.

"…Or his body." He whispered.

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"Well, James, I thought it would be best if you saw a doctor, so I brought our town doctor with me." Mr. Winford Evans smiled, his grey beard parting to show two rows of even teeth.

Mr. Evans was a burly man, the exact kind of man you would picture to be a farmer. With arms as thick as an ox, it was easy to imagine him easily lifting two bushels of potatoes in his glory days. The harsh weather of time, however, had slowed him down considerably. Now James could imagine him sitting small children on his lap at Christmas.

"It's a sure case of amnesia, no doubt." Dr. Ollivanders peered at James from behind his glass spectacles. "I'll give you some medicine to help with the headaches, sonny. As for the memories, they'll return to you in time. Don't rush it. Let it come to you gradually, like a cat fishing for mice in the river. Or maybe like pigs digging in the ground for birds."

James certainly did not understand a word Dr. Ollivanders was saying, but he passed it off as some kind of 'farm' joke. Ollivanders was the doctor. James was merely the patient. And to his knowledge, (which, for the record, was only a day old) it was best to listen to the doctor.

"You'll be staying with us for quite a while, James." Mr. Evans clapped James on the back. "I don't know but it's the best, for both you and our family. God knows we don't have enough hands to run this place."

"Thank you, sir." James said gratefully. He had been worrying that Mr. Evans would be some territorial grouchy monster who could not bear the thought of another man in the house, be it child or animal.

"Hooray!" There came a series of shouts from behind the closed door. There was no doubt it was Rose and Tulip. Maybe even Petunia.

After considerable effort, one that used up most of the day, James had succeeded in getting into good graces with the girls – except Lily. Lily was still wary of him, giving him the occasional thoughtful glance when she thought he was not looking. But somehow, James just knew when she was watching him.

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James trudged up the creaky stairs to his 'room', an old spacious closet that had been slightly modified today to suit him. But, James reflected, he would rather be here in his closet than many other places. The Evans household was a jolly little place to be. Mr. Evans, James learned, was a one of those writers that could tell a tale as good as writing one. Indeed, it was a tiring night- Mr. Evans had kept insisting on game after game of poker. James found out, to his amazement, that he _could_ play well. For some strange reason, he could remember the rules and gimmicks of the game.

'Aye, the knowledge is in the hand, not up here.' Mr. Evans had said to this, tapping his forehead. 'Your skills never leave your hand.'

James stopped suddenly in mid-climb. He saw someone stealthily leave his room. This someone – it seemed, was tall, and had bright red hair. Lily, of course. She glanced at both ends of the short hall; her head turning to make sure no one had seen her. She closed the door quietly behind her, and retreated back into the shadows.

'_What on earth was she doing in my closet_?' James thought curiously. His curiosity was soon quenched, for the answer was sitting on his bed.

A bright fat red apple, just picked and polished that night, was sitting on the foot of his bed. Five letters were carved inside the juicy outer flesh of the apple.

S. O. R. R. Y.

James grinned, remembering how Lily had called him 'a thief and murderer' that very day. James hugged the apple to his chest, and for some strange reason a foolish grin was plastered on his face.

As James Potter lay down to sleep on his bed of hay, he could hear the faint mating call of grasshoppers far away. Though the thick smell of manure and fresh pine was suffocating him, though he thought he just heard a nosy rat in the attic, though a mosquito was buzzing next to his ear, James Potter felt good.

He was happy.

**End of Chapter 1 : Tempest**

**Author's Note : Thank you for coming this far, mates! You won't believe how much I enjoy reading reviews. So, please take the time to review! Thanks a lot, guys! **


	2. Sheriff Severus Snape of Cansville

**Author's Note : To those of you who did not notice, Cansville came up previously in Sirius's dialogue. (Hint, hint) **

**This time, you'll see a strange kind of similarity between CWSL and The Matrix. **

**Also, a hundred and one thanks to all of you who reviewed the first chapter; Lightstream, cosmopolitan, rubudu, fireangel06, Hermione-G-wanna-be, lilalex13, FloatingBubbles, and gafg.**

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**Cloud With Silver Lining**

**A Story by J. Romant**

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**Chapter 2 : Sheriff Severus Snape of Cansville**

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"This is madness!" Mr. Evans roared. His face was flushed, veins pulsing through his forehead. "How dare you and your cronies wuss in here and order us about?"

"I have every right to, Mr. Evans." Sheriff Severus Snape drawled. He was dressed impeccably in buckskin leather boots and a shiny black hat. He's even got a single red feather stuck on top, James noticed with a scowl.

Two other men stood behind the Sheriff, ready to move at his beck and call.

"I have a signed order from his Highness, the Crown Prince of England. His Grace is offering you three thousand Galleons for your evacuation of the place." The Sheriff continued, shoving a large paper into Mr. Evan's face. For a moment Mr. Evan's face went rigid, as the words registered in his head.

"But- but we've lived in Cansville for our entire life!" Mr. Evans sputtered. "My wife is buried in the apple orchard, and all our relatives and friends live here. Wherever should we go?"

"Your woes are of no concern to me, Mr. Evans. They are not my problem." Sheriff Snape picked at a speck of flint between his nails. "A new castle is to be built. And your _house_ – if it can be called it that-" Snape sneered, looking around the small farm with disdain, "happens to be smack dab in the middle of the construction site."

"You are no Sheriff! You're no better than a crook!" James shouted angrily. He had been with the Evans for a little over a week now, and it had become his home.

Sheriff Snape's nostrils flared with anger. His snaky eyes moved up and down James's body, as if he were considering what it would take to bring him down. "So this is the lost mongrel you've taken under your wing, Evans."

Snape took a step closer to James and hissed in his ear. "You'd better be careful, _mongrel_. I have the power to pulverize this pigsty of a house. And I _will_ do that if I see you put half a foot out of line. Do you understand?"

James saw red, but kept his temper in check with an enormous effort. "I understand." He spoke through clenched teeth.

Snape smiled. It was a wide catlike grin, like a one you would see on a snake after it had the most excruciating meal.

"I'll give you three weeks, Mr. Evans." Snape laughed, heading toward the doorway. He snapped his fingers, and his two cronies instantly followed.

"Oh dear." Mr. Evans sighed. "Whatever must we do?"

To that James could not find an answer.

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"Listen- I've never got the chance to thank you for the apple you gave me." James said. He picked up a large bale of hay, ready to change the pig's beds.

"Don't flatter yourself, farm boy." Lily said evasively, tucking a stray curl behind her neck with a muddy palm. "I did it because Petunia dragged me into it. Wasn't my idea."

"Okay." James said. A long silence followed, in which James refilled the horses' water trough. The silence was becoming to unbearable, so James tried small talk.

"Fine weather we're having." James said. The words fell flat. He felt dumb even before the words were fully out of his mouth.

"Yeah." Lily replied, not even looking at him as she checked the harnesses. Another silence. This time though, it was longer than ever.

"So, Lillian. What are you doing tonight?" James made a final effort. He wondered if it was okay to call her that. He said it while lightly tapping her on the arm to get her attention.

It sure did. Lily jumped back as if she were electrocuted. She wiped her hands on the front of her overalls, then pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Hey, farmboy. I don't know what your playing at, okay?" She started, her emerald eyes on fire. "I don't know where you're from, or what you did. But I _do_ know that you're not from around here. Chances are that once you've recovered your memory – hopefully soon – we'll never meet again. So don't act like we're friends or anything. We'll never be."

With a final toss of the head, Lily stormed out of the barnyard, her hands on her hips.

"Sheesh." James said to no one in particular, dazed. "What did I do wrong?"

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As soon as Lily was sure she was out of sight, she crumpled to the ground. She could only keep the tears in this long. Her chest heaved as round tears began rolling down her lightly freckled cheeks.

She wiped her tears frantically, not caring that her hands were leaving telltale streaks of mud on her face.

"Oh god… Why does it still hurt so much?" Lily leaned on a tree to keep her from falling to the ground altogether.

The memory was etched inside Lily's mind, playing again and again like a broken projector. It tormented her, day and night.

'_Lillian, what are you doing tonight?' Giles Wellman asked, his blue eyes looking at his fiancée._

_Giles had always called her Lilian. My Lilian, he used to say. 'I love you so much, Lillian darling.' He'd used to coo, making her feel warm, safe – and loved. Giles had made her forget that she was nothing but a poor farm girl. He had made her feel special._

_But that day, there was something wrong. She could feel it – she knew it from the way he opened his eyes too large, from the way he had said the words a little forcefully than usual._

_But she had played along._

'_You were going to take me to the annual ball at Lord Remus's, remember?' Lily giggled. 'I bought the green cashmere dress you said you liked – the one you said matched my eyes.'_

'_I'm sorry, Lillian, but I can't take you.. I- Something's come up, and I have to leave town for a while.' Giles said earnestly. 'Something really urgent.'_

_Lily faltered for a moment, but after a moment she was okay. 'That's okay, Giles. We can always go next year. If you have to go, I don't want to be the one holding you back.' She said understandingly._

_She had no idea._

'_Okay, Lillian. But – ' Giles hesitated for a moment. 'I want you to take this back.' Giles pulled off a ring from his finger. It was the ring, the ring she'd given him as an engagement present._

'_I don't understand.' Lily said puzzled. She knew what Giles had been trying to tell her, but her mind rejected the obvious truth. 'Why are you giving me this? Aren't you coming back?' _

'_Be safe, Lillian.' Giles said, leaving the question unanswered. He turned and walked out of her life._

_Two days later Lily found out he had run off with Priscilla Crawford, a prettier, richer girl in town. Priscilla had been three months pregnant when she ran off._

_There was no one to take Lily to the ball that night._

_She spent it in tears._

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Lily had finished crying. She looked herself in a cracked mirror, and removed any traces of tears that could be seen. Clean water was pretty scarce (the nearest well was a quarter of a mile away, so she did the best she could in the pond.

Lily knew she had to apologize to James. She knew it, but it was difficult to do the actual thing. Knowing something, and doing something about it – were two very different things.

She took a deep breath and walked up to James, who had finished cleaning the barn by now.

"Farm boy." Lily called out indifferently, although her stomach was slightly queasy- for some reason she did not comprehend.

"Huh?" James turned. He stiffened a little, as if Lily was going to punch him or something similarly vicious.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. It's just that something you said – brought back some unpleasant memories of somebody else. I went overboard. I'm sorry."

"Oh." James said, not expecting an apology. "Oh." He said again.

"Yeah, so what do you want me to do?" Lily said impatiently. "To make up for my words earlier, I'll do something for you. That's the way this system works." Lily rolled her eyes as if she had better things to do.

"Err… Did Petunia put you up to this too?" James asked.

"No. Of course not. So, what do you want me to do?" Lily repeated the question. "I don't have all day."

"No, you don't." James agreed, looking up at the brightly yellow sun. It wasn't noon yet, judging by the length of the shadows and the place of the sun. "Well, I've always wanted to go see the town."

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"The Palace is in chaos." Duke Malfoy announced to those seated across him. "With the disappearance of the Prince, the King has time for little else. His trusted subjects, like Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, are far away searching for the Prince. The Palace, as of now, is virtually unguarded."

The five that sat in the dimly lit hall looked between themselves uneasily. Treason was an act that would instantly get them hanged. Once you crossed that line, there was no turning back.

"But even unguarded, you cannot say the Palace is an easy place to storm." Karkaroff stated.

"No. That is why I am asking for your help. But do you realize that this is the chance of a lifetime? Never will you get such a chance like this. You are not as wealthy as you used to be, ladies and gentlemen-"

Dolores Umbridge opened her mouth to protest, but Duke Malfoy cut her off. "I know for a fact that your current business concerning the gold mines in Scandinavia has taken a turn for the worse, Lady Umbridge. And haven't you still some bills to repay in that gambling escapade last month?"

The Duke smiled as there was silence from both parties. He carefully- almost daintily pulled off his velvet gloves and sat them down on the Italian table next to him.

"So… Do you count yourselves in, or need I be more persuasive?" Duke Malfoy queried lightly, but not light enough to mask the tension below.

All four began to nod earnestly. They had no choice, actually.

"Very well!" The Duke spread out his hands, a motion that meant that it was time for the four to leave. "A pleasure to do business with _such understandable_ people!"

As Karkaroff closed the door behind him as they left, Duke Malfoy whispered into the air, "Just three weeks till the curtains go up." He closed his eyes in ecstacy.

"Then it's showtime."

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Cansville town was just that – a town. The only thing noticeable about it was the Sheriff's Office, which was the largest building in town, as the town was too small to have a Mayor. The stone tower towered over all that surrounded it, its gloom casting ghostly shadows. Inside it, James thought, Snape would be sitting, with his shiny fedora with the feather on top.

"Farm boy, this is the Three Donkeys. I want you to stay in here while I go and buy some apple seeds for next year's crop. Don't go anywhere, okay?"

James nodded. He pushed open the creaky door and entered.

The Three Donkeys was a quiet place- or maybe it was just the time of this day. A big man, who was in fact the largest man James had seen in his life, stood behind the counter. He grunted to some country tune, using a dirty washcloth to wipe the dishes.

He said his name was Rubeus Hagrid, and that he was the one that found James lying in the valley. "Somebody up der must like you badly." Hagrid said. "It's a miracle you ain't dead."

An old man was watching him from a corner of the pub. Not just gazing at him, but he was looking very intently, as if trying to bore a hole through his chest. Hagrid noticed what James was looking at.

"That's Dumbledore. Albus Dumbledore." Hagrid leaned his bulk on the counter and whispered with great reverence. "He's one of dem gypsy folks. Stops in fur a drink from time to time. He's a quiet feller though, and ain't like dose ruddy Deputies that work fur de Sheriff. Dumbledore – when he looks at you like dat, he wants you to speak to him. Go on." Hagrid gave James what meant to be a gentle push, but to James it was like a great slap. James stumbled and found his way to Dumbledore's table.

Dumbledore spoke before he could even get a work across. "Fancy seeing you here." Dumbledore took a puff on his crooked pipe.

The words resounded in James's mind, striking him with more force than Hagrid's gentle push. Suddenly James was on his feet, his eyes burning with desperation. "You know who I am?"

Dumbledore took no heed of James's excitement, but instead fixed his gaze on someplace behind James's left shoulder. He took another long puff on his pipe, patiently waiting as a donut ring disappeared into the air. "Correction. I knew who you _were_. But I am not so sure of who you are _now_, and I am most uncertain of who you _will_ be."

"Okay, okay. Who was I? You've got to tell me – you see, I've lost my memory – and-"

Dumbledore cut him off with a silent wave of his hand. "That is not mine to answer. The Fates have placed you here for a reason – what reason, I cannot comprehend as of now. But I shall give you some advice, James."

"What advice?" James asked, then a thought blazed across his head. "Hey, wait a minute. How did you know my name?"

Dumbledore ignored him once again. "Soon you will be presented with a great decision- one that will alter not only the course of your life, but also the course of this country's history. You will have to choose," Dumbledore paused to swat away a fly. "between the person you love, and your country."

"But I don't even have someone I love. And I'm not a soldier, so what do you mean about my country?" Clearly this odd man with the half moon spectacles was out of his mind.

"Have no worries, though. Here, take a cookie." Dumbledore picked up a cookie from a plate that James could have sworn wasn't there before. He took it with both hands, befuddled.

"By the time you finish eating that cookie, I promise you'll be feeling much better."

------------

The moment James heaved what was left of cookie inside his mouth, he spotted Lily. Rose and Tulip joined them soon after, each carrying a small bag full of oatmeal.

"Lily, James! Did you hear, the annual ball's been announced!" Tulip skipped around the two of them, Rose following her sister's example.

"Lily, I can go to the ball this year, can't I? I'm 16 this year." Rose pleaded.

"Of course not." Lily said. "Balls are stupid things. I'd rather have you doing something else, like reading a book for instance."

_Giles had asked her quite dashingly, kneeling on the ground. It had been perfectly romantic, the proposal of her dreams. The way he had pronounced those four words – it seemed like magic. The way he uttered them, his deep voice making her eyes well up in happiness – _

'_Will you marry me?_

_She nodded.'_

_And Lily, at the sweet age of sixteen, felt that she had the world. She loved her Giles dearly, she would have done anything for him._

_Anything._

'_Lillian, this means I'll be accompanying you to the annual ball, right?' _

_Lily had smiled softly through glistening tears. She said, 'Yes.'_

_It had seemed too good to be true. And it wasn't._

Shaking off those thoughts, she asked Rose. "When did you say the ball was, Rose?"

"In two weeks." Rose said, clearly surprised. "Why? Are you thinking of going, Lily?"

"No."

There was no question of it, really. Though she would never admit to herself that a small portion of her wanted to go badly, Lily knew that the ball was a couple's ball. Meaning, that one had to have a partner. No one she knew was about to ask her.

_Except James._

No. She wasn't going to go through the whole process again. The heart wrenching nights she had cried herself to sleep after Giles left, the bitter thoughts while she considered what she had done so wrong that Giles had left her for Priscilla, were unbearable. She would not be able to go through it again.

That was why she was so frigid to the people around her, she knew. But it couldn't be helped. It was much safer this way- not going to the ball.

_But you want to._

The small portion of her heart whispered to her.

_You want to be beautiful, to show off once in a while in a pretty dress. You want to be like the other girls, to have fun and love life. You want to-_

Shove it, Lily thought angrily, this time successfully stopping that train of thought.

------------

As the four of them – Lily, Rose, Tulip, and James- began the journey back to their farm in the woods, Lily spotted Severus Snape.

With a cold little nod of politeness, Lily hastened her pace to quickly pass him. She was stopped in her tracks. Sheriff Snape had grabbed her left wrist in an icy grip. His hands felt as if grease was running down them, and a most unsettling feeling crept inside Lily's stomach as she struggled to get free.

"What is it that you want, Sheriff?" Lily asked, her eyes full of annoyance.

"Let her go, Sheriff. She clearly doesn't want to be touched." James said, drawing up to his whole height.

Sheriff Snape let Lily go, but he smirked at James, letting him know that he didn't do it because he was afraid of a fight with James. "I wanted to talk to you, Miss Evans."

When Snape saw that the other trio was in no hurry to move, he added curtly, "Alone, if you people have a pinch of decency."

James hesitated, but after seeing Lily wasn't going to back down from Snape, took the girls and started home without her.

After no one was in earshot, Lily spoke, "What do you want, Sheriff? It's already getting dark. Can't this wait for another time?"

"Oh, this is much too important to wait for another time, Miss Evans."

Snape stepped closer. He placed one finger on the edge of her cheek, tracing it downwards. His fingers felt like dead leaves, she wanted to vomit and slap him but she knew she could not dare do it. The Sheriff was a powerful man. He would have her hanged –maybe even imprison her family. So she waited.

"You're a beautiful woman, Miss Evans." Snape's snakelike tongue hissed into her ear. "Too beautiful that it's almost a shame you were born into a pitiful family like yours."

Lily stiffened.

"How sad you must be, living in a household with four children! Too much, I'd say. Living like beasts! And your father- he's too cooped up in the head with his nonsense books, isn't he? Not the job of a man."

"Don't insult my father, Sheriff."

Snape smiled, enjoying the torment he was creating. "And in two week's time, all of you will be thrown back to the streets! And I _will_ do that, Miss Evans. I have the Prince's full authorization. Pity, pity."

"What are you getting at?"

"I can offer you a way out." Snape took like a cobra, poised to strike. "I can give your family a home – maybe even for that detestable _mongrel_ you keep, Miss Evans."

"His name is James."

"So… What's the catch?" Lily asked. She hated to admit it, but she was intrigued. It would save her father a lot of trouble. It would keep her family from starving. "There's always a catch."

"Sure there is, Miss Evans." Snape was ready for the kill, he decided.

But nothing in the world could prepare Lily for the words she heard next.

"Marry me, Miss Evans, and I'll save your family."

And the Honorable Sheriff Severus Snape of Cansville laughed.

------------

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**End of Chapter 2 : Sheriff Severus Snape of Cansville.**

**Author's Note : Another Chapter has gone by, and my – what a cliffhanger! I hope to get tons of reviews, dear readers. Every writer likes to be 'appreciated. Each review makes the next Episode of CWSL come out a little faster. **

**Review!**


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